Deeply
by Sleepy Lotus
Summary: A ficlet for the prompt "I'm deeply flattered, son, but my first and only love is the sea." Mid DMC, Elizabeth finds Jack on Tortuga, and it's only polite to greet old friends with a kiss. :)
**A ficlet for Sheliesshattered, and the prompt "I'm deeply flattered, son, but my first and only love is the sea." Mid DMC, Elizabeth finds Jack on Tortuga, and it's only polite to greet old friends with a kiss. :)**

 **If anyone else wants to get in on the prompts feel free! You can find them on my Tumblr: Apirateslifeforme123**

 **Deeply**

"I've come to find the man I love."

Jack paused upon the gangway, his accoutrements swaying with his sudden cease of motion. He froze not because of the nature of the phrase, what should be an _alarming_ declaration to _any_ pirate worth his salt, but because he would know _that_ voice anywhere. He heard it in his thoughts _constantly_ , even his _dreams_ gave him no respite of it _._

 _Elizabeth_.

She was _here,_ in Tortuga, undoubtedly to find her whelp of a fiancé, the fool of whom he had sent skipping off to face Davy Jones.

It had been so easy to get rid of Turner he _almost_ felt obliged to rescue the young bugger.

Almost, but not quite. _Especially_ not quite, seeing as the rum-burning fiancée Jack so coveted was now _here,_ as it were.

The words fell from his lips before he could stop himself; let it not be said Jack Sparrow ever lacked a witty retort. "I'm deeply flattered, son, but my first and only love is the sea…"

It was _not_ what he'd imagined himself saying to Elizabeth Swann, should he ever manage to come face to face with her again.

A cacophony of voices chanted in Jack's head.

A high-born lass' first taste of freedom, words filled with joy as they raced about the fire. . _We're devils and black sheep, really bad eggs, Drink up, me hearties, yo ho._

 _You'll be the most fearsome pirate to ever sail the Spanish Main._

 _Where ever we want to go, we'll go._

And Tia Dalma, laughing at him with that all-knowing burnished gold gleam in her eye.

 _Jack Sparrow does not know what he wants!_ _Or do you know...but are loath to claim it as your own?_

Well, he _did_ bloody well know, _thank you._ It didn't take a compass to really tell him that, though it damn sure could sabotage taking a useful reading. Maybe, just _maybe_ , if he could get it out of his system, the compass would _bloody_ work again?

He whirled to find her standing at the foot of the gangplank, a hand upon her hip, a smirk pulling at the corner of her mouth. Those caramel colored eyes gleamed from beneath her hat, and a hint of golden hair. She looked _rather_ well for a woman dressed in boy's togs, and he found that confoundedly _annoying_.

"Meaning—"

Before she could say any more Jack dashed down the gangway, catching the blasted woman up with an arm about her waist, descending upon her mouth with his before the chit could say another infuriating word. For a moment she stiffened with surprise against him, and soon after melted like chocolate beneath the Caribbean sun, moaning as his tongue caressed her lips. Her mouth parted in a tentative permission of its own volition, and Jack swept inside, diving into the sweet warmth of her mouth with reckless abandon.

When at last he drew back she gasped, speechless, her hat askew. "You were saying, love?"

His blood roared in his ears, and he knew well enough that this experiment had been a failure. There would be no getting her out of his system with just a kiss.

Elizabeth could hardly remember _her own name_ , much less what she'd been saying.

"I…you…unhand me?" was her questionably coherent reply, her fingers actually tightening their grip upon the lapels of his coat as though to pull him closer.

Jack grinned wide, gold flashing in the torchlight. "Come to join my crew? Knew you couldn't resist me…"

It was then that she regained her composure, shoving against his chest. "Despicable man!"

"Pirate, darlin'."

"Oooo I should slap that that smirk right off your face, Jack Sparrow!" As she said it her hand travelled to the pommel of her sword, a rather alarming set to her jaw.

"Now Lizzy, no need for this encounter to turn murderous so soon," said Jack, staying her hand with his upon her wrist. She looked down at the offending mitt, eyes wide, and he could feel her pulse fluttering beneath his fingers.

"I have come to find _Will_." This sounded as though she was reminding herself as much as informing Jack of her intentions.

"Eh? Could have fooled me," he teased, mischief dancing in his eyes, even as his stomach did a sickening little flip at thought of where exactly the whelp found himself at that moment.

"Jack…" There was a sudden thread of fragility in her tone that gave the pirate pause. He considered what it must have taken for her to travel all the way _here,_ a woman alone—and _hadn't_ Will said she was in jail? Clever lass, this one.

"Come on darlin'. You can tell Captain Jack all about it in my cabin."

"I can't go in your _cabin_ ," she protested as Jack's hand closed about hers, tugging her to follow him up the gangway.

"You're already a fugitive from the law, and finding yourself upon a pirate island, love. What more harm could _I_ do to your reputation?"

"Plenty, I am certain," she quipped, though she followed him across the deck.

As soon as her feet touched the deck of the Pearl she felt herself relax, a breath releasing she didn't even know she'd been holding, as though _finally_ she had gained safe ground.

 _The search is not done,_ she scolded herself, running a loving hand along the gunwale of the Pearl. Yet she could not shake the feeling of coming _home_ , as though this ship—this _pirate_ —was what she'd truly sought all along.


End file.
